Starting on August 26, 2023, in honor of Women’s Equality Day in the United States, which commemorates the 1920 law granting women the right to vote, OncoDaily launched an initiative to spotlight 100 remarkable female leaders in oncology worldwide. Each week, 10 inspiring women were introduced, culminating in the full list and an updated edition in 2024.
Continuing this tradition, we are proud to present the 2025 list of 100 Influential Women in Oncology to Follow on Social Media.
While there are countless exceptional women leaders in oncology who deserve recognition, we acknowledge that we couldn’t feature everyone. This initiative is ongoing, and we look forward to your nominations for 2026. We’ll be sharing the submission link soon.
Here are the third 10 of 100 Influential Women in Oncology to follow in 2025:
Bianca Balti is an internationally renowned Italian supermodel and longtime ambassador for Dolce & Gabbana. In 2022, after discovering she carried the BRCA1 mutation, she underwent a preventive double mastectomy, and in 2024 she was diagnosed with stage III C ovarian cancer. Since then, she has become a powerful advocate for cancer awareness, prevention, and early detection, openly sharing her journey to empower others to take control of their health.
In 2025, Balti made headlines at the Sanremo Festival when she appeared without a wig, a bold gesture of resilience that inspired thousands of women facing cancer. She has also partnered with Camilla and Marc on a global campaign to fund research into an innovative DNA-based early detection test for ovarian cancer. Through her voice, visibility, and advocacy, Bianca Balti has emerged as an influential figure connecting fashion, public health, and oncology awareness.
Follow Bianca Balti on Facebook.
Ulrika Årehed Kågström is the President of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and the Secretary-General of the Swedish Cancer Society. Prior to joining the Swedish Cancer Society, she was the Secretary-General at the Swedish Red Cross. She is also the chairperson of the Swedish Arts Council (appointed by the Government).
At UICC, prior being elected as the President, she was the treasurer, chairman and member of the Knowledge, Advocacy and Policy Committee, chairman and member of the Finance Committee, member of the Strategy Review task force, member of the ATOM coalition task force, member of the Governance committee, member of the task force on AMR, member of the Advisory board of the Solidarity Fund for Ukraine and member of the Congress and Summit Committee.
Follow Ulrika Årehed Kågström on LinkedIn and X.
Rana McKay is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Urology at the University of California, San Diego, and Co-Leader of the Genitourinary Oncology Program at Moores Cancer Center. A board-certified medical oncologist specializing in bladder, kidney, prostate, and testicular cancers, she directs a multidisciplinary prostate cancer clinic and leads research in biomarker-driven therapeutics and precision medicine
Her leadership and scientific contribution have been recognized with the 2024 Christopher G. Wood Rising Star Award at IKCS Europe and designation as Woman Oncologist of the Year at LEAD 2024. She also serves as Section Editor for Genitourinary Disease for ACS Journal Cancer, chairs the VIRO 2025 Global Voices in Renal Oncology congress, and is an active member of NCI Renal Task Force, Alliance Advanced Prostate Cancer cadre, and the NCCN Prostate Cancer Guidelines Panel.
Follow Dr. Rana McKay on X.
Gretchen Vaughan is the President and CEO of the Kidney Cancer Association (KCA). Appointed in 2018, she has transformed the organization into a patient-focused global leader in kidney cancer research, advocacy, and education. Previously, Vaughan held senior fundraising leadership at MD Anderson Cancer Center, bringing business acumen and a compassionate vision shaped in part by personal loss and patient care experiences.
Under her leadership, KCA launched the KCA Data Federation, a groundbreaking clinical data initiative to accelerate kidney cancer research and improve equity in treatment access. She also leads efforts in multidisciplinary collaboration, patient support services, and rare kidney cancer advocacy.
Follow Gretchen Vaughan on X and LinkedIn.
Rasha Aboelhassan is a Senior Oncology Consultant at the Nasser Institute for Research and Treatment in Cairo, Egypt. A clinical oncologist specializing in adult solid tumors, Dr. Aboelhassan leads and contributes to major regional studies, including the Middle East/Egypt cohorts of stage III NSCLC in the KINDLE real-world study and research on triple-negative breast cancer in the TRIPOLI registry.
A vocal advocate for her patients, she shares insights on the urgent need for improved oncology care in low-resource settings through.
Follow Dr. Rasha Aboelhassan on LinkedIn.
Catharine Young is a biomedical scientist and global health leader with a career spanning science, policy, and innovation. She did her fellowship at the U.S. Department of Defense, where she contributed to international biosecurity and the Ebola response in West Africa. She has held key policy roles as Senior Director of Science Policy at the Biden Cancer Initiative, science advisor at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., and Assistant Director for Cancer Moonshot Policy and International Engagement at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
In 2025, she launched The Global Collective, an initiative to develop collaborative solutions in global health, including a Global Cancer Fund to reduce disparities in cancer care. She has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Yvonne Award for Global Impact in Oncology (2024).
Follow Dr. Catharine Young on X and LinkedIn.
Katherine Van Loon is a Professor of Clinical Medicine at UCSF and Director of the Global Cancer Program at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. As a gastrointestinal oncologist, she leads research on the epidemiology of GI cancers, spanning U.S. populations and global settings, while spearheading capacity-building and cancer research training in countries like Tanzania.
Dr. Van Loon serves on global oncology leadership platforms like AORTIC and the African Esophageal Cancer Consortium, and in February 2025, she began her term as Editor-in-Chief of JCO Global Oncology, amplifying knowledge from low- and middle-income settings.
Follow Dr. Katherine Van Loon on X and LinkedIn.
Breelyn Wilky is the Director of Sarcoma Medical Oncology and Associate Professor at the University of Colorado, where she also serves as Director of Translational Sarcoma Research and Deputy Associate Director of Clinical Research at the University of Colorado Cancer Center. She leads care and research for bone and soft tissue tumors, developing clinical and translational trials in immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and precision medicine, including landmark studies in GIST and rare sarcomas.
Dr. Wilky’s is also a member of the Sarcoma Foundation of America’s Medical Advisory Board and frequently shares patient-oriented insights—highlighting personalized treatment approaches like GIST mutation testing.
Follow Dr. Breelyn Wilky on X and LinkedIn.
Shikha Jain is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Illinois Cancer Center and Director of Communication Strategies in Medicine. She also serves as Associate Director of Oncology Communication & Digital Innovation, where she bridges the gap between cutting-edge care and patient understanding.
A gastrointestinal oncologist, Dr. Jain specializes in colorectal cancer, neuroendocrine tumors, hepatocellular carcinoma, and precision oncology. She is renowned for her pioneering use of media and digital platforms to demystify complex cancer care, and is the founder of the Women in Medicine, including the Annual Women in Medicine Summit and the IMPACT advocacy group.
Follow Dr. Shikha Jain on X and LinkedIn.
Alejandra Mendez is the Vice President of Childhood Cancer International (CCI) and a board member of Fundación Nuestros Hijos in Chile. Driven by her personal journey as the mother of a childhood cancer survivor, she champions initiatives to improve quality of life for pediatric cancer patients, survivors, and families worldwide. Dr. Mendez co-chairs the SIOP Global Health Network’s Patient, Family & Stakeholder Engagement Working Group and serves on the SIOP PARC Committee, enhancing research capacity for pediatric cancer clinical trials.
She is also part of the expert committee for the My Child Matters Program under Foundation S, which supports over 120,000 children and trains more than 50,000 healthcare professionals globally. Passionate about equity in pediatric oncology, she actively strengthens community support networks across Latin America.
Follow Alejandra Mendez on X and LinkedIn.
See also:
100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to Follow on Social Media in 2025 – Part 2
100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to Follow on Social Media in 2025 – Part 1
100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to follow on Social Media in 2023
100 Influential Women in Oncology: Key Opinion Leaders to follow on Social Media in 2024
Bianca Balti: The Supermodel’s Brave Battle with Ovarian Cancer
Oncologist Near Me – Rana McKay
Co-Chair Rana McKay: Meet the Experts of VIRO 2025
Yvonne Awards 2025: Honoring Global Oncology Leaders at ASCO’s Most Inspiring Night
